Archaeological Investigations at Yourhaney Plantation (38GE18)

ARCHAEOLOGICAL INVESTIGATIONS AT YOURHANEY PLANTATION3II. ENVIRONMENTAL OVERVIEWINTRODUCTIONGeorgetown County is located in the Outer Coastal Plain region of South Carolina. It is boundedto the east by approximately 37 miles of irregular Atlantic Ocean coastline. To the south thecounty is bounded by the Santee River and to the north by the Great Pee Dee River and HorryCounty. The western boundary is an artificial political border with Williamsburg County. Elevationin the county ranges from sea level to 75 feet above mean sea level. Topography consists of subtleundulations that are characteristic of the beach ridge plains (Mathews et al. 1980). In the coastalarea there is a series of marsh and barrier islands, including South, Cedar, Pawleys, and NorthIsland. The site is situated on a prominent bluff about 20 feet above mean sea level, which quicklydrops off into a slough to the south.The Yauhannah Bluff Site is situated at the confluence of the Great Pee Dee River and a backwatercreek referred to as Yauhannah Lake. The large rivers of the Coastal Plain, such as the Pee Dee,have vast floodplains with dark swamps along their edges. They meander, forming oxbow lakesover time as they make their way through vast quantities of sediments eroded from Piedmont rocksand deposited in the Coastal Plain. Commonly found along these rivers are sand bars and spits,as the currents shift the sediment loads (Murphy 1995). In the immediate area of the YauhannahBluff tract, the Great Pee Dee River makes a 90 degree turn providing an excellent view of twoapproaches to the property. At the crook in the turn is the backwater creek referred to asYauhannah Lake.Georgetown County’s climate is generally mild and is influenced primarily by its southern latitude,proximity to the ocean, and low elevation. This results in a subtropical influence. The summerstend to be long, hot, and humid while the mountains to the west serve as a barrier to cold airmasses from the north and west, resulting in rather mild winters (Hilliard 1984: 13; Mathews et al.1980: 46).PALEO-ENVIRONMENTA series of climatic changes are responsible for the current climate of the project locality, whichthus should not be taken to represent past climates and associated flora and fauna. Threepaleoenvironments, the Full Glacial, Late Glacial, and Post-Glacial, are recognized in theSoutheast. The Full Glacial period extended from 25,000 to 15,000 B.P, and was characterizedby a dry, cold environment. Glacial ice did not reach as far south as South Carolina; however, thestate was covered by a boreal forest. This boreal forest primarily consisted of pines and spruce,with a minor presence of deciduous hardwoods. The climate during this period was drier thantoday, with winter temperatures averaging 15 degrees colder than the modern norm.The Late Glacial Period, extending from 15,000 to 10,000 B.P., witnessed gradual warming andwetter conditions, and the appearance of deciduous species.